On Wednesday 17 June, the two LEADER regions – Traunviertler Alpenvorland and Kalkalpen National Park – hosted a regional Topotheque meeting in Waldneukirchen. Project leader Siegfried Kristöfl and the two LEADER managers, Josef Wolfthaler and Felix Fößleitner, welcomed a large number of highly interested participants to the Forum Gemeindezentrum.
In the first session, Alexander Schatek refreshed participants’ knowledge and skills regarding Topotheque work. After a short break, the programme continued with a highly topical subject: ‘The potential of AI in working with photographic material’. Here too, Alexander Schatek offered suggestions and insights into the ‘dos and don’ts’ regarding source verification by the Topotheque. AI can assist with image processing, tagging, searching and research. There is particular potential in automatic tagging, the definition of generic terms, standardisation and detailed research. At the same time, it was emphasised that AI is a sensitive issue when it comes to historical images, as it can alter or add to details. For a documentary Topotheque, therefore, fidelity to the original takes precedence. It is important that any changes or edits made by AI are duly documented or clearly indicated in the commentary or in the tagging.
This topic was discussed by a distinguished group of participants, who shared their experiences and insights. This demonstrates once again that, thanks to dedicated LEADER offices, regional projects play a vital role in kick-starting Topotheques, particularly in their early stages.